I forgot to post this the other day!
On our last bike ride, we traveled some new roads (for us) through the mountains south of Uji, which is also a major tea producing region, named Wazuka. It seems that this area is responsible for a lot of Kabusecha, the covered-while-growing green teas, as most of the plantations we passed had their bushes well protected.
And it's not just the large hillside tea gardens doing it. It looked as if almost every private house in the area had several rows of tea bushes growing! In front, beside, in back... just like rural vegetable gardens!
Sorry for the poor quality but I shot this with my cell phone...
Stitchawl